Evelyn McCall

The final chapter of a remarkable life story was written last week with the death of local skating legend, Evelyn McCall. A supremely gifted athlete and teacher in the art of figure and power skating, Evelyn was known to hundreds if not thousands of local athletes as “the lady that taught me to skate”.

Born in Halifax in 1936, Evelyn caught the skating bug early. Before leaving high school, her fluid on-ice style earned top prize at the Bluenose Figure Skating Club’s annual competition. Her talents also won the approval of a scout for the world famous Ice Capades. A job offer soon followed but she was discouraged from accepting it. Professional skating was not considered a sensible pursuit by her practical-minded parents. Instead, Evelyn embarked on a secretarial career, starting at the Pathology Lab in the Halifax Infirmary.

Needless to say, long days in a lab did nothing to dull the longing for her true calling. Before long, Evelyn was on her way to California to finally join up with the Ice Capades. For three years, she toured with the show, performing across Canada, the United States and Central America.

After retiring from Ice Capades, Evelyn married and started a family—but her feet never left the ice. Settling in Dartmouth, it was inevitable her two young sons, Steven and Bobby, would lace up the skates as well. That simple act of sharing a passion for the sport she loved would inspire her sons in two different directions. Steven jumped into hockey with a vengeance. Bobby fell in love with figure skating—and a sporting legend was born.

It was in the ice arenas of Dartmouth and at his mother’s side that young Bobby McCall would take those first strides in developing his massive talent. By the mid-seventies, Bobby paired up with novice skating phenomenon, Marie McNeil. Together, they ice danced to the Canadian Junior Championship title in 1977. Four years later, they took the podium as Senior National champions. By 1982, Bobby would team up with BC’s Tracey Wilson—and sporting history would be made: as three-time world bronze medalists and the 1988 Olympic Bronze medalists. Induction into the Order of Canada would follow that same year.

Evelyn McCall’s passion and drive as a competitive athlete saw her through many challenges in life: as a single parent providing for two young sons; and as a middle-aged woman returning to university to learn a new career. That same inner strength and resilience saw her through the tunnel of grief that came with losing Bobby, who died in 1991 at the age of 33.

Bobby’s death would ultimately give Evelyn a new purpose. She channeled her second career in Public Relations towards personal causes, including the Canadian Figure Skating Association, AIDS Nova Scotia, and the Nova Scotia Persons with Aids Coalition. Evelyn also took the helm of major AIDS-related fundraising events, such as “Skate the Dream for the Toronto Hospital and Halifax’s V.G. Hospital.

“She was an icon for people living with AIDS through the nineties…” explained Evelyn’s son, Steven. In a recent tribute to his mother on social media, he talked about how Evelyn “was a driving force in raising millions of dollars to help find the drugs that allow people to live through it today. She was never quite the same after my brother died. I guess none of us were….”

Evelyn remained committed to preserving Bobby’s memory for the rest of her life. She kept in touch with many of his skating friends and used social media to reach out and talk about him.

Marie McNeil never lost touch with Evelyn after skating with her son over 40 years ago. They enjoyed a mother-daughter relationship. Marie experienced Evelyn’s passion and drive first hand. “She wanted to keep (Bobby’s) spirit alive, forever….there was no better advocate for her son. She loved Steven, she loved her grandchildren. She was a real family lady. She had a huge heart. She just wanted the best for all of them. And she would be their biggest promoter. Whether it was Bobby’s Olympic status or whether it’s her grandchildren that are performing….she was trying to get them performing on a bigger stage...she was always pushing to give her children and her grandchildren the best possible forum to perform, to show the world!

There are so many ways to remember and celebrate the life of Evelyn McCall: As a young child taking those first tentative steps on the ice; as a proven skater stepping up to be a professional; as a single mother doing all she could to help her sons succeed; or simply helping a child learn to skate. Evelyn McCall knew what it took to fly—and she gave everything she had to help others do the same.